Lionel Messi said he feared the worst after being stretchered off toward the end of Barcelona’s 0-0 draw with Benfica after receiving an elbow to his knee from the opposing
goalkeeper. Tests revealed that the Argentine merely suffered a bruised knee, and that he could be passed fit to play Barca’s next game against Real Betis on Sunday.

“In that
moment I thought the worst. When I looked at it, saw it,” the 25-year-old said. “When severe injury was ruled out, then I was calmer.” He added that today, “I feel good,
luckily it was not a bad injury, I feel much better than I did yesterday. I do not know if I will play on Sunday, it depends on the evolution of the knock. The best thing is that it was nothing more
than that, a knock.”

Of course, this means that Messi is now still on track to break Gerd Muller’s record of 85 goals in a calendar year, which he has held since
1972. Messi is just two goals shy of breaking it. “As I always say, for me the record is not an obsession. I have heard my colleagues say that they will help me, and all the goals I get are with
their help. I’m not preoccupied by it. It would be great because I am close to it. I might get to it, if not then nothing happens. But I am close, and we will try.”